Proposed Street layout (page 38) and development plan for Malcolm Yards (the area north of the transitway and west of Surly). Of particular interest is this statement about the southeastern portion of the lot:

"Wall has a signed MOU with a specialty grocer, who proposes 50,000 SF of grocery and restaurants on the ground floor. Plans call for a 12-story market rate housing to be built above. "(Page 15)

Proposed Street layout (page 38) and development plan for Malcolm Yards (the area north of the transitway and west of Surly). Of particular interest is this statement about the southeastern portion of the lot:

"Wall has a signed MOU with a specialty grocer, who proposes 50,000 SF of grocery and restaurants on the ground floor. Plans call for a 12-story market rate housing to be built above. "(Page 15)

Weird that it would be another specialty grocer next to Fresh Thyme, though. I wouldn't have been surprised by an Aldi or something, but another high-end grocery seems like it might be splitting the market a little too much.

Wall also said there will be 700-800 units in these blocks. So adding that to the additional 600 or so units proposed/under construction, there's going to be a lot of people. Plus regional draw and lots that will bring even more people. Depends on the grocer though.

If everything proposed in the area gets built it will be interesting to see what the Teamsters do with their building. I would imagine at some point a developer would by and make them say no to a really big offer.

Given the other plans for Green on 4th and whatever Aeon comes up with (plus the senior living place), and all the students living in the area, an Aldi or something in that price range would be great. Looking at the whole of Prospect Park, there's a huge amount of housing growth that's happened and been planned in the past 5-10 years, and looking further to East Bank and Stadium Village, there are essentially only convenience stores in the immediate area that offer some options, but not the full range of a grocery store. With all that's happening, two grocery stores will do just fine.

A full grocery more central to Stadium Village or Dinkytown would be much better than a second one here, I'd think. Even with the buildup this area is limited by geography, and the second grocery store wouldn't be very visible or even particularly accessible, especially compared with Fresh Thyme, which is right across the street from an LRT station and has frontage on University. I'd also venture to guess that Prospect Park is the type of neighborhood where a certain segment of the population will remain loyal to Seward Coop regardless of whether there's a closer store.

Long ago there was a plan for a Mississippi Market in what is now the 2700 University apartments. If there was ever a marker for a second grocery store in the area, that'd seem to have been a much better location. Still right across from an LRT station, right on University, and with hundreds of apartments already in walking distance.

So the Fresh Thyme, I predict, will be pretty successful. Maybe a place like Trader Joe's, which is kind of a unique offering, would work well as a second grocer in that north Prospect Park area. I don't really think this is the best place for an Aldi or Kawalski's, though.

Another development happening in Prospect Park is that United Properties is apparently buying the Tierney building as well as the building next door housing Four Star Auto and Great Brakes, looking to put in specialty retail along the stretch.

It's at 3300 University Ave. SE. I don't think anything will be happening there too quickly, but I'd be surprised if there weren't some housing there as well. Unlike the development north of University, and even though it's still in the innovation district, it borders on Tower Park and the historic district so I expect there to be more neighborhood opposition to height here.

It looks like DanB had already started a new discussion about this property that I missed earlier.

The Planning Commission also apparent almost killed the Malcolm Yards proposal yesterday following a staff report recommending denying the move from "Industrial" to "Transitional Industrial" for the site, but there was vigorous neighborhood support of it at the meeting.